The proclamation, announced at a press conference Monday, Aug. 4, is in support of an adults-only downtown block party that will take place Friday, Aug. 15, called "Bermudas on the Bricks."

"This is the first time people have the opportunity to enjoy a beer on the bricks," Walling said.

The party was organized by Phil Shaltz, owner of 501 Bar & Grill and other businesses, and Dave Lurvey, owner of Blackstone's Pub & Grill.

The 21-and-up party will shut down the 500 block of downtown Saginaw Street, where Shaltz's and Lurvey's restaurants are located, and a party will be set up right on the iconic red bricks of downtown. The party will feature dancing, a beer truck, food, live music and a DJ. And everyone is expected to wear Bermuda shorts.

"There are still a lot of people in Genesee County that haven't experienced downtown Flint, day or night," Walling said, adding that he hopes this party will be part of a larger effort to convince people "that downtown Flint is alive."

Shaltz stressed that it is an adult party.

"Get a babysitter, come downtown," he said.

Getting people downtown, he said, is the whole idea.

He said he and Lurvey have been talking for about about four or five years about having an adults-only party on the bricks.

Gerard Burnash, executive director of the Flint Downtown Development Authority, said that this event will be a good addition to the various festivals the DDA has started in recent years that he said have already been successful in getting people downtown.

"Downtown Flint has sold itself every time," he said.

Shaltz said he's encouraging local businesses to allow their employees to wear Bermuda shorts to work the day of the party, which starts at 4:30 p.m. and will go until midnight.

That way, he said, people don't have to go home and get ready. They can go straight from work to the party.

He said more than 30 companies are already on board. One of them is First Merit Bank.

Greg Viener, core business banking manager and community president for First Merit said the bank's corporate offices at first weren't sure just what he was talking about when he sought permission for his employees to come to work dressed in Bermudas.

Their initial response, he said, was, "You want to do what?" Once he explained, however, he said, "It was a pretty easy sell."

The party takes place the same time as the third night of the Back to the Bricks Rolling Cruise, in which cars drive up and down Saginaw Street from Flint to Grand Blanc. The route typically goes through downtown Flint. Walling said city officials and Bqack to the Bricks organizers are working on how to divert traffic, and that in a couple days they'll have a plan. He said there will be signs out to direct drivers.

Shaltz said he hopes this turns into an annual event, one he believes in time will be called the BOB for short. He said he and Lurvey are committed to doing it for more than one year in an effort to make it a downtown tradition.